Reversible floor support

ABSTRACT

A cargo floor, which is supported above a tray in a vehicle storage area in spaced relationship thereto, has one or more removable panels. Each panel has opposed planar surfaces which are textured differently to provide different holding features. In one embodiment, apertures are formed through the panels to allow water from wet objects to drain into the supporting tray. The apertures may be in the form of conical projections which present a smooth surface with drain apertures on one side and, on the other side, upwardly projecting truncated cones.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/306;037 entitled REVERSIBLE FLOOR SUPPORT, filed on Jul. 17, 2001, by Sangwon Choi, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a floor support for use in a vehicle and particularly one which presents different textured surfaces for storage of different articles.

[0003] Vehicle storage systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequently include a variety of cargo compartments, particularly those used in vans and sport utility vehicles for accommodating a large variety of articles. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,015,071 and 6,050,202 disclose systems representative of trunk rear storage areas for vans and sport utility vehicles. There remains a need for a storage system which can accommodate either wet items or items which require special accommodation and one which can be easily changed to accommodate different types of cargo. Further, there remains a need for a storage system which can be easily cleaned in the event items being carried have dirt, sand, or the like on them which is transferred to the vehicle during transportation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention satisfies this need by providing a cargo floor which is supported above a tray in a vehicle storage area in spaced relationship thereto and which has one or more removable panels. Each panel has opposed planar surfaces which are textured differently to provide different holding features. In one embodiment of the invention, apertures are formed through the panels to allow water from wet objects to drain into the supporting tray. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apertures are formed by conical projections which present a smooth surface with drain apertures on one side, and, on the other side of the panel, upwardly projecting truncated cones which provide a textured surface for holding objects against sliding during transportation. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the tray can be a removable tray, allowing the panels and tray to be removed from the vehicle for easy cleaning. In another embodiment of the invention, the tray is fixed within the vehicle and coated with a waterproof material and includes a drain for draining water such that the cargo area can be hosed down for cleaning.

[0005] These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective, partly broken away, view of a vehicle including the storage system of the present invention;

[0007]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the storage system of the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the reversibility of the panels of the storage system of the present invention; and

[0009]FIG. 4 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along section lines IV-IV of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0010] Initially in FIG. 1, there is shown a vehicle 10, which for purposes of illustration is a van, shown with the top removed to show the interior thereof. Vehicle 10 has a cargo area 12, as do most vehicles, including conventional automobiles with trunks, sports utility vehicles with rear storage areas, and vans such as shown in FIG. 1. In the rear cargo area, which is typically accessed by a rear opening gate or door, there is provided a waterproof tray 14 which in one embodiment includes a removable drain plug 13 and in other embodiments is itself removable from the vehicle for draining and cleaning. Such a removable tray 14 is also seen in FIG. 2 and is part of the storage system 20 defined by a tray 14 and a pair of reversible and removable cover panels 16 and 18, although in some embodiments a single panel can be employed. Tray 14, as shown in FIG. 2, is removable from the vehicle, although as can be understood, if desired, the tray can be fixed in the vehicle with a drain plug 13, as shown in FIG. 1, and may be a liner integral with a tray formed in the vehicle body. In either embodiment, the panels 16 and 18 can be cleaned in situ (in the vehicle) by hosing the panels down and collecting the debris in tray 14 for subsequent draining, removal, and cleaning. Floor 21 of tray 14 may be tapered toward drain 13 to facilitate draining.

[0011] Each of the panels 16 and 18 can be substantially identical in shape to be reversible upon themselves and/or reversible from side to side, as shown in the mirror image construction of FIG. 2. Panels 16 and 18 include textured surfaces 15 and 17, respectively, formed by a plurality of spaced, truncated, conical projections 22, as best seen in FIG. 4. Surface 15 on panel 16 includes upwardly projecting conical projections 22, each of which have a conical opening 24, which allows (as does panel 16 shown in FIG. 2) the insertion of hook ends 25 of elastic cords 26 for holding a variety of irregularly shaped objects, such as a skateboard 30 which, when held to the upwardly projecting textured surface 15 with upwardly projecting members 22 prevents sliding on the surface 15 of panel 16. When objects which are either wet, such as wet suits, outboard motors (which may drain water therefrom), boots, or snow-covered boots, skis or the like, which will drip water are stored, the panels 16 and 18 are reversed, as shown in arrow A in FIG. 3, exposing surfaces 17 which are smooth surfaces having downwardly projecting conical openings 24 for draining any fluid into the tray 14 or allowing loose dirt to fall into collection tray 14. Panels 16 and 18 may be snap-fitted using a conventional spring loaded latches into the lip 11 of tray 14, which includes upwardly extending sidewalls 19 and a floor 21 and suitable reinforcing ridges 23 as required to support the panels 16 and 18. As previously noted, the tray may be covered by a single reversible panel but in all embodiments, it is desired to have panels either with differently textured opposed surfaces or with drain apertures to allow the transportation of objects which are either dirty or wet to allow the cargo area 12 of the vehicle to be easily cleaned, either through removal of collection tray 14 or by hosing the tray down and draining through an existing drain plug such as 13.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, tray 14 was made of a waterproof structural polymeric material, such as polycarbonate or the like, as were support panels 16 and 18. Panels 16 and 18 have a thickness of from about ¾″ to about 1″ to sustain significant loads such as may be incurred in the cargo area of a vehicle. If tray 14 is a liner in a formed recess in the vehicle body, a relatively thin polymeric material, such as PVC, can be employed. In the preferred embodiment shown, conical projections 22 are shown, although projections 22 can be cylindrical or reverse conical shapes if desired, and in some embodiments aperture 24 may not include a conical projection but rather other projections may be provided on one surface 15 and a smooth or different textured surface presented by surface 17. Some embodiments also may or may not include drain apertures.

[0013] It will become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the invention as described herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cargo storage system comprising: a collection tray having a floor and upwardly extending sidewalls; and a panel covering said tray and supported thereon, said panel being removable and reversible to provide a first surface facing outwardly from said tray having a first texture and, when reversed, a second surface having a texture different from said first surface.
 2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel includes a plurality of spaced apertures formed therethrough.
 3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said tray is made of a waterproof material.
 4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said tray includes a drain aperture.
 5. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel includes two sections.
 6. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said sections has a plurality of conical projections with a central aperture formed in each projection such that said first surface of said panel sections is smooth and said second surface of said panel sections has outwardly extending projections therefrom.
 7. A cargo storage system comprising: a tray having a floor and upwardly extending sidewalls; and a panel covering said tray and supported thereon, said panel having a plurality of spaced apertures formed therethrough.
 8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein said tray is made of a waterproof material.
 9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein said tray includes a drain aperture.
 10. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein said panel is divided into two separate sections.
 11. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein each of said panel sections has a plurality of conical projections with a central aperture formed in each projection such that a first surface of said panel sections is smooth and a second surface of said panels has projections extending outwardly therefrom.
 12. A storage system for wet cargo comprising: a collection tray having a floor and upwardly extending sidewalls; and a cover panel covering said tray and supported thereon, said cover panel having a plurality of apertures for allowing fluid and debris to fall therethrough and into said tray, wherein said panel is removable from said tray and reversible to provide a first surface facing outwardly from said tray having a first texture and, when reversed, a second surface having a texture different from said first surface.
 13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said tray is made of a waterproof material.
 14. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein said tray includes a drain aperture.
 15. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said panel is divided into two separate sections.
 16. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said panel sections has a plurality of conical projections with a central aperture formed in each projection such that said first surface of said panel section is smooth and said second surface of said panel section has outwardly extending projections therefrom. 